3.2. Cultivation of insect cell lines

Cultivation of insect cell lines is straightforward. Normally, they are
maintained at room temperature (20-27°C) without CO2 allowing
cultivation of these cells “in the desk drawer”. However, suitable cooling
incubators (e.g. Heraeus BK6160 through Thermo Fisher Scientific) which keep a
defined temperature are recommended. To avoid evaporation of the medium during
cultivation, cooling should not be accomplished through air ventilation. Each
cell line, when purchased from a cell culture collection, will be accompanied
by a data sheet giving all necessary information concerning the medium for
cultivation, how and when to subculture, doubling time, cell harvest, and
storage conditions. It is advisable to first follow these instructions before
adapting these protocols to experimental needs.